Although Jesus was the humble son of a carpenter who was born in a manger, at several times during his brief ministry He made clear claims that He was the Christ, the Son of the living God:
Son of God – “He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.” (Matthew 16:15-17)
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)
Eternal – “Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.” (John 8:58)
Forgiver of Sins – “But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house.” (Mark 2:10-11)
Voice of God – “No man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.” (John 1:18)
The Christ – “Art thou the Christ? tell us. And he said unto them, If I tell you, ye will not believe: And if I also ask you, ye will not answer me, nor let me go. Hereafter shall the Son of man sit on the right hand of the power of God.” (Luke 22:67-69)
The great Christian writer, C.S. Lewis, in his book Mere Christianity, wrote this about the claims that Jesus made: “I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people say about Him: ‘I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept His claim to be God.’ That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic—on a level with the man who says he is a poached egg—or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse. You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.”
Bahá’u’lláh, whose name means the Glory of God, also made very clear claims:
The Word – “This is the Word which the Son concealed, when to those around Him He said: ‘Ye cannot bear it now.’ And when the appointed time was fulfilled and the Hour had struck, the Word shone forth above the horizon of the Will of God. Beware, O followers of the Son, that ye cast it not behind your backs.” (Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 11)
Spirit of Truth – “Verily, He Who is the Spirit of Truth is come to guide you unto all truth. He speaketh not as prompted by His own self, but as bidden by Him Who is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.” (Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 12)
The Father – “This is the Father foretold by Isaiah, and the Comforter concerning Whom the Spirit had covenanted with you. Open your eyes, O concourse of bishops, that ye may behold your Lord seated upon the Throne of might and glory.” (The Summons of the Lord of Hosts, p. 63)
“Say, Lo! The Father is come, and that which ye were promised in the Kingdom is fulfilled!” (Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 11)
“Tell Me then: Do the sons recognize the Father, and acknowledge Him, or do they deny Him, even as the people aforetime denied Him (Jesus)?” (Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 14)
The Lord of Lords – “He Who is the Lord of Lords is come overshadowed with clouds, and the decree hath been fulfilled by God, the Almighty, the Unrestrained.” (The Summons of the Lord of Hosts, p. 54)
The King of Glory – “The King of Glory proclaimeth from the tabernacle of majesty and grandeur His call, saying: O people of the Gospel! They who were not in the Kingdom have now entered it, whilst We behold you, in this day, tarrying at the gate.” (The Summons of the Lord of Hosts, p. 66)
Jesus Returns: Like Jesus, these claims from Bahá’u’lláh are astonishing. Is He a lunatic, a madman, or worse? Or is He whom He claims to be: the return of Christ? Jesus Himself gave us the criteria for making this decision: “Ye shall know them by their fruits.”
In the book of 1 John we read:
“Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God:” (1 John 4:1-3)
Bahá’u’lláh confesses that Jesus Christ is come, once again, in the flesh:
“O Jews! If ye be intent on crucifying once again Jesus, the Spirit of God, put Me to death, for He hath once more, in My person, been made manifest unto you. Deal with Me as ye wish, for I have vowed to lay down My life in the path of God.” (Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 101)
“Say, this is the One Who hath glorified the Son and hath exalted His Cause.” (Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 11)
“’This is that which the Son hath decreed.’ And whatsoever hath proceeded out of His blameless, His truth-speaking, trustworthy mouth, can never be altered.” (Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 12)